(photo by Craig Jackson, @leftfieldlounge)
In Omaha, Neb., Charles King worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth and hurled 3.1 innings of scoreless relief as No. 6 TCU downed third-seeded Florida 9-2 Friday evening at the College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park.
The Horned Frogs (49-17) will face the Gators (48-19) again on Saturday evening with a trip to the CWS Championship Series on the line.
King (1-3) entered the game with two on and two out in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Mike Rivera to load the bases before he struck out Nick Horvath looking to end the threat. King allowed one hit, walked two and struck out five to record the victory.
Austen Wade (2 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI) and Zach Humphreys (1 for 3, 2 RBI) had RBI doubles in the top of the third as TCU took the early lead.
Rivera homered and Dalton Guthrie drove in a run with a double as UF tied the game in the bottom of the third.
The Frogs took the lead for good in the fourth as Josh Watson (2 for 3, 2 R) knocked in a pair with a two-out triple to give TCU a 4-2 advantage.
In the top of the sixth, the Frogs added to their lead. Wade knocked in one with a fielder’s choice and Evan Skoug (2 for 5) delivered a three-run double with two away to push the advantage to 8-2. Humphreys drove in the final run in the eighth on a fielder’s choice to make it 9-2.
Jackson Kowar (12-1, 5 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 11 K) suffered his first loss of the season.